


Even Superheroes Have Bad Hair Days

by hisboywriter



Category: Young Avengers
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-04
Updated: 2013-02-04
Packaged: 2017-11-28 04:21:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/670207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hisboywriter/pseuds/hisboywriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teddy cheers Billy up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Even Superheroes Have Bad Hair Days

**-X-**

Billy glanced up in time to see Teddy score a basket.

 

It wasn’t a swanky display of skill to most people; Teddy hadn’t shot from the other end of the court or done a backward dunk. Still, Billy’s mind drifted away from the equations on his paper and drowned in Teddy’s smile as a couple of congratulatory hands patted the blonde’s back.

Popularity came easily to Teddy, and not just because he was now on the basketball team at Billy’s school. People gravitated toward Teddy’s friendly disposition and stayed for everything else, which Billy was excited about considering Teddy’s first, awkward week of classes.

And now, rarely at a loss for words, good-looking, and skilled at basketball, Teddy was a sight for Billy’s sore eyes after school.

Said sore eyes widened when Teddy spotted him and waved. Giddiness curled Billy’s toes and he hoped he didn’t look too silly as he managed a small wave back. Teddy always gave him a smile or wave during practice, however subtle it was, whenever Billy got to watch him.

Watching was really all Billy  _could_  do. He went with sports as smoothly as a size ten foot fitting into a size five shoe. At best, he knew a handful of details on a select few of them, particularly basketball since both Tedy and Eli enjoyed it.

“Hey, Kaplan.”

The voice came with a mean laugh and it broke Billy’s trance. With an eye roll and exaggerated sigh, Billy looked back at his homework.

“What do you want?” he asked, not really needing to know the answer.

“Enjoying the eye candy?” The schoolmate jeered, stepping onto the first row of bleachers.

Billy concentrated harder on his homework, trying to forget he happened to share the same home room with this guy. He was an overall prick to everyone and Billy’s usual silent treatment seemed to only ruffle his feathers more.

“I could say the same for you,” he said back, biting his tongue when he realized the words came out already.

“You calling me a fag?”

“Nope.” Billy knew it came out mockingly and he scratched harder with his pencil.

The punk hopped another three rows up. Billy was only two rows away from him now and a former habit of his almost resurfaced, the one that had him wanting to snatch his bag and bolt in the other direction. He pushed the urge down and looked up to meet the boy’s sneer.

“Better watch yourself instead of all the guys in our class, Kaplan.”

Watch himself do what exactly, Billy wanted to ask, but stuffed his tongue against a cheek. It’s not like  _he_  was the one bullying another student, masking his own insecurities by making others as miserable as he felt inside.

“Are you going to stuff me in a locker?” Billy blurted out, back going rigid. As if the jerk could really do that with all the students around, either for practice or loitering. Yet even with that reassurance, Billy knew his hands were growing clammy.

Before Billy could hear a comeback—or receive the bad end of a threat—a familiar, deep voice came from below them. “What’s going on?”

The weight on Billy’s shoulders rolled off at the sight of Teddy, basketball in hand, perfecting a glower. “Te-“

“Ch’, nothing.” The other boy, who was nowhere near Teddy’s size, shrugged and started descending the bleachers without a care.

Billy watched him go, his stomach prickling and eyes feeling more tired suddenly. He didn’t even look at Teddy as he fumbled to shove all his stuff into his backpack, cursing when he kept screwing that simple task up.

“Billy-“

“I’m gonnna go on ahead, ‘kay?” Billy spewed out, eyes and face really starting to burn now. He must have been in the sun too long. Head tipped down, he swung his backpack over his shoulder, and went down the bleachers diagonally to avoid coming close to Teddy.

“Huh? Billy, wa-“

“I’ll see you later!” He forced himself to sound as cheerful as the wave he gave Teddy.

Then he ran.

**-x-**

Billy rolled onto his back and looked at his ceiling like a canvas he could untangle his thoughts on. He had showered first upon arriving home, thinking it would wash off what was bothering him, but all it did was make him lose himself in the sound of water for a short time. Now sprawled on his bed, his feelings just came back to him like a smack to his face.

A part of his aching stomach came from ditching Teddy the way he did. A bigger part reminded him that it was Teddy that factored into the bigger problem.

With a sigh, Billy draped an arm over his eyes to seek some solace. How could he admit that despite all his progress, all his apparent strength, some bully’s words could still easily bypass that and rattle that timid, little Billy that still lived inside of him.

_Sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will never hurt me._

Even as a kid Billy knew how unhelpful and stupid that rhyme was. Words were a powerful tool—the pen mightier than the sword, right? Pair words up with a fist and you got the first half of Billy’s teenage years. Words were just like punches, when the next one comes, it hurts just like the first time.

Gradually, Billy extended his hand, imagining the blue glow of his powers. He smiled faintly at how Teddy had guided him through the process of using words to better his magic and the funny outcomes that came from failed attempts. Eventually the words always came around for the better, didn’t they?

A knock came at his door. “Billy?”

Groaning, Billy rolled onto his stomach and buried his head under the pillow. It was childish but he didn’t care. It was dark and safe in there.

The door opened and closed, followed by the sound of Teddy walking closer and settling onto the bed. “I take the head in the pillow thing means something really is bothering you.”

Billy burrowed deeper. “I like the smell of the fabric softener here.”

Teddy chuckled. “I didn’t know it was most concentrated under the pillow.”

“Now you do.”

“Billy.”

“Teddy.” Billy mimicked Teddy’s tone.

“Will you come out? Please?”

“What for?”

“I’d like to give you a kiss.”

Billy scrunched up his face under the pillow, temptation pulling at him. “What kind of kiss?”

“What kind of kiss would you like?” Teddy’s hand rested on his low back and stroked.

Damn his boyfriend for knowing just where his body liked the attention.

“How many kinds of kisses are there?” Billy wiggled a little under Teddy’s touch. Just to be safe, he clenched onto the pillow harder so it couldn’t be pulled off.

 The bed shifted and warmth spread across Billy’s neck, signaling just how close Teddy was. “You want me to tell you or show you?”

The voice pulled up the hair on the back of Billy’s neck—and everywhere else for that matter. He felt way too hot under the pillow now and regretted putting on a hoodie after showering.

“Um, I…” He tripped over his own words, trying to remember his intent to stay under the pillow.

“Let me,” Teddy began, his lips nestling against Billy’s neck.

At the same time—and before Billy could moan—a set of fingers danced along Billy’s ribs.

“Teddy!” Billy half shrieked in surprised, broken by fits of laughter at the tickling, “Teddy!” He chucked his pillow at Teddy’s arm, prompting his boyfriend to cease his assault. “That was dirty.”

Teddy laughed down at him. “It got you out, didn’t it?”

Billy grumbled and sat up, admitting defeat. His face softened when Teddy rested his hand on his leg and squeezed.

“I’m…sorry about earlier,” he whispered, eyes on Teddy’s chest.

One hand tilted Billy’s chin up a bit so their eyes met. “That guy bothered you?” he asked, but Billy could detect that Teddy suspected it was more than that.

“Yeah. Well, no, I mean…”

“I like when you’re this articulate.”

“Shut up,” Billy laughed and scooted closer so his shoulder leaned into Teddy’s. “I just…got madder at myself more than anything else.”

“Not this again.” The eye roll was implied.

Billy chuckled, knowing Teddy must have understood his problem now but would listen to Billy nonetheless. “It’s not  _this_   _again.”_

“You put a lot of blame on yourself,” Teddy said, wrapping an arm around Billy, “No one gets mad at you the way  _you_  do.”

Billy sulked a little, dropping his head completely against Teddy. His boyfriend smelled clean, even felt a smidge damp, and he felt the bump of a necklace Teddy sometimes wore under his shirt—a leather strap with a rainbow pendant. Billy smiled at its presence, wondering if he could gain the boost of confidence he was lacking lately from the simple object.

A little nudge from Teddy and Billy remembered he should have been talking. “Um, sorry, it’s just…”

“Yes?”

“When you got there he went away and I was really glad he did but,” a pause, “I’m proud of how I am, when I wasn’t before. I never wanted to be that guy who pretended he wasn’t gay or avoided the question. Still don’t want to.”

“You wanted to be the one to send the bully on his way?” Teddy asked.

Billy nodded, grateful that Teddy could finish his thoughts. It made admitting things a heck of a lot easier.

“I got nervous,” he went on, “like back then and that’s the problem. It’s  _not_ like back then anymore. I’m glad of where I am. I’m not ashamed to be me, I have a bunch of amazing friends, I have the best boyfriend ever, I’m a _superhero_  for crying out loud, Teddy, and yet, I guess when I see how confident you are I just…I don’t know. Got stupid.”

Teddy made a sound like a chuckle and a sigh mixed in one. “Billy,” he said, shifting so Billy could half rest on him.“The way you felt was totally normal.”

“Really? How you figure?” Billy propped his chin up on Teddy’s chest.

“Even superheroes have bad hair days.”

Billy lost some of his frustration at the statement. His lips quirked at the ridiculous images of bad hair days as he asked, “Wait, what?”

There was a pause from Teddy, the shape-shifter’s eyes drifting to the ceiling as if recalling a memory. “It’s something my mother told me.”

Billy dropped his amusement and frowned. He kept quiet, aware that anything he could say about Teddy’s mother couldn’t dull the pain of her absence. Silently, he reached out and rubbed Teddy’s shoulder, hoping he’d continue.

As if sensing the unease, Teddy flicked his eyes back down and smiled as lovely as ever. “It was right after Iron Lad found me, the day Greg and I stopped hanging out. I had to go back to school and was dreading it. I was sure Greg had outed me as a mutant,” Teddy shrugged, “I couldn’t tell my mother but she could tell I was really anxious about going back to school. I just told her me and Greg had a falling out but still had practice together.”

Teddy broke into a soft laugh before continuing. “I remember saying how it would be easier to be a famous superhero. You know, since I was thinking about that anyway after Iron Lad found me. So I was telling her, you just kick a lot of bad guy butt, get your picture all over the news. Not a bad deal compared to going back to school in my shoes.”

Billy smirked a little, anticipating the look Teddy’s mother must have given him at that. “What did she say?”

Teddy quieted down a moment, a nostalgic expression growing on him. “She said, ‘Theodore, that’s completely unfair. It’s not easy having to save the city and worse, having the media attention. Superheroes get bad hair days too, especially if they don’t have a mask over the tops of their heads.’”

“Your mother was an incredible woman.” Billy pressed his cheek into Teddy’s chest, searching for Teddy’s hand.

Their fingers laced when they met, sharing a meaningful silence for a moment. “With incredible advice she passed to her incredible son,” he added after he heard Teddy exhale loudly, suggesting he had made peace with the memory.

“It’s true,” Teddy said. “And,” his voice elevated with sudden ingenuity, “I think I know just the thing to make  _you_  see it better.”

“Really? See what exactly?”

“You’ll see. Don’t make any plans for tomorrow.”

**-x-**

 Billy had never been to a pride parade.

Hell, the very notion of attending   _any_  parade made him cringe. There was the traffic, both on the streets and polluting the sidewalk, the constant bumping of strangers, the terrible views you’d get no matter how hard you tried to see. It was smart of his boyfriend to not mention the dreaded ‘p’ word until it was too late.

It had been one long night of waiting. One anxious and restless night followed by an equally anxious and restless morning when they took the bus here. All the while the unease inside of Billy had remained, dormant beneath his nurturing curiosity, which grew the longer he gaped at the spectacle of what indeed looked to be a dreaded parade.

What  _kind_ of parade hadn’t settled in right away either, not when Billy was so preoccupied with the hordes of grinning people stuffing themselves onto the curb and trying to convince Teddy to get back on the bus. Sure, there were plenty of bright colors on more people than not, giving the impression that even the observers were active participants, yet it still hadn’t registered in his panicked mind.

And then Billy’s brain—what part wasn’t devoted to weaseling his way back home anyway— connected the dots, painting the bigger picture. The very _gay_  picture.

“God, we’re at a gay pride parade,” he blurted out louder than he meant to.

Teddy smiled innocently at him.

“I can’t believe you brought me here,” Billy said around a laugh, part of it stemming from disbelief. “I should have known. The parade is the big thing going on this weekend. How did I not even guess it?”

From their current distance, he could barely pull out the details from the flux of people in the parade drifting down the street. Still, there was plenty to soak up in the onlookers alone. If he lingered long enough a person, he could spot a few with their arm hooked around a partner, be it same-sexed couple or not. There was also, of course, the bold leaps in fashion that any parade would spark; the spectrum of clothing, or lack thereof in rare cases, knew little bounds.

 Teddy maneuvered them closer and a few blocks later employed his larger size to wiggle them in for a proper viewing spot. “It’s not exactly close by and not one of the bigger pride parades,” he finally answered above the festivities. “It was worth keeping it a surprise. Don’t worry though, I got you. You could even sit on my shoulders if you wanted.”

Billy wrinkled his nose and craned his neck, most certainly  _not_  indulging in the idea of perching on his boyfriend’s shoulder. He saw a variety of people from all parts of life literally parading down the street, some more colorful than others and some with children but not one of them sporting a frown. Even the observers who bore no obvious gay-supporter badge were just as colorful in their expressions.

There was a smile epidemic going on and already Billy felt his lips tickling.

“Is it so bad?” Teddy asked close to his ear, probably noticing the shifting mood in him.

Billy digested the question, letting his gaze dart to and fro, absorbing the more prominent details now that he could. The atmosphere was brimming, unlike the parades he’d been dragged to in his younger years, and maybe the air around them was a product of what everyone was celebrating. Something he could better relate to than a massive turkey floating between skyscrapers in honor of all its brethren turkeys devoured that thankful day.

The smiles proved to be as contagious as expected because soon enough, Billy couldn’t let go of one for himself, pressing closer to Teddy while their hands clasped—that single and public gesture alone a milestone everyone there would deem worth celebrating. And they did.

“I guess I can’t say it’s the worst parade I’ve been to,” Billy said, giving the hand a squeeze.

A true statement even amidst the slight claustrophobia, the roar of revelry, and the general  _eugh_  factor that came from feeling a stranger’s arm rubbing against your own. As real as all those discomforts were, they seemed less a thorn in Billy’s side when the celebratory good mood had claimed even his stubborn self.

Teddy didn’t reply to his answer, but Billy felt the grin in the kiss to his temple.

In some ways, Billy found it silly that a single event of celebration could chase away the tenacious cloud over him so quickly and replace it with something dazzling, something that seemed to stem from the pit of his body. Somehow, he knew the feeling would linger even after he left, as though it had carved a niche inside of him and would take up a permanent residence, ready to provide him a boost when he needed it most.

“Look at that girl. Her costume is so cool,” Billy exclaimed, unaware of the pleased look his delight put on Teddy. “She must have spend days on it.”

An endless stream of people made up the parade’s body, each bulk of them keeping the warmth inside of Billy alive and burning. More than once he barked out a laugh at the choice in costumes or dancing fever that overcame some. It certainly wasn’t as raunchy as he had expected, which he considered a good point, and he thought with just a few tweaks, it could resemble Mardi Gras.

It felt like time hovered above the event, but Billy felt the pressure of the crowd not long after. Lucky for him his boyfriend had little problems nudging their way out of the worst of the congestion.

“So?” Teddy asked, settling back at Billy’s side now that they weren’t compact like sardines. “What do you think of being a part of it, seeing all these people celebrate the same thing? Not bad, huh?”

Billy continued looking here and there at those wearing their support and/or pride, taken aback at just how many there were. “It’s like a big party,” he admitted. “I use to hate parades, you know. It’s not  _too_  bad though, so I can’t be mad at you for dragging me here.”

“I know. I think it’s different if you understand the purpose of the parade, if it’s something that has significance to you,” Teddy said, motioning to no one in particular. “I bet every single one of these people has had more than their fair share of feeling down. I’m sure many have had,” a cautious break, “bullies try to bring them down too.”

Billy’s heart fluttered at the words and he spied at those around him, hoping he came across as inconspicuous. He couldn’t tell which ones might have been bullied or not, couldn’t really dissect anything beyond their elevated moods.

“I might be wrong but,” Teddy went on, “I think it’s one of those times to really let loose to celebrate. Not everyone goes around dressed like some of the people here today. It’s usually a private kind of thing and I bet a lot of them are even scared to be so okay with it in public. Sorry, I don’t know if that really makes sense.”

Nodding, Billy thought about the necklace Teddy wore sometimes and its implications. “You usually make way more sense than most,” he said and peeked at their clasped hands, heart soaring.

Teddy rolled his eyes at that but stroked his thumb over Billy’s knuckles. “Well, anyway, all that explanation made me pretty hungry. There are a lot of good places to eat around here that I checked online before we came. But first…”

“Teddy!” Billy half-laughed the name when his boyfriend yanked him along, leading them to a string of restaurants and shops where various patrons flowed in and out, some making their way to the parade while others looked to have been coming from it. The store owners must have been happier than the patrons for all the extra business.

“Nope, you’re staying outside,” Teddy said. His hands clasped Billy’s shoulders and steered him around so he couldn’t see which store Teddy would duck into. “No cheating, okay? I’ll be back fast.”

“Why can’t I come?”

“It’s not a surprise if you know before I do it. This is part two of the celebration.”

Billy sighed, stomach flipping in anticipation. He nodded once all the same and said, “Alright, alright. I won’t look. Can I guess what it is?”

“Hush.” A quick squeeze to Billy’s shoulders and he was gone.

So Billy waited, which turned out to be a far less difficult task than previously thought with thanks to the flow of parade-goers, especially those arm in arm with their significant other and no care in the world. Every glowing smile Billy got, he returned, each one feeling as genuine as the ones he shared with his closest friends.

Teddy returned soon after just as a woman bristling with a rainbow Mohawk and infectious laugh rushed by.

“Wow,” Teddy said, looking at her departure. “Think she might win for best hair here.”

Billy laughed. “I guess it’s easier to feel good about yourself when everyone is so,” he searched for the word and then shrugged, “happy? Tommy would hate it here probably.”

“It’s about celebrating who people are. All people. I think Tommy would like a good celebration,” Teddy said, and a mischievous touch came to his lips. “So.”

“So?” Billy quirked an eye and tried to glance behind his boyfriend’s back, where his hands remained clasped. “What did you get?”

“Hands out.”

Billy eagerly complied.

“Eyes shut.”

Billy did, but not without scrunching up his face.

Something long settled into his grip and his fingers curled around it, picking up clues to what it could be.

“Eyes open,” Teddy said.

Billy did and his face stretched into a mad grin instantly as he unraveled the gift. “Oh, my God,” he laughed, “I don’t think I’ve seen a cooler looking accessory ever.”

It was the greatest belt crafted by any man or machine, that much he knew. _Rainbow_  belt, to be precise because categorizing it as any other belt wouldn’t do the gift justice, each bold color as confident and content as the one beside it.

“You like it then?”

“Obviously,” Billy answered, eyes glued to the rainbow band, palm smoothing over the texture. “Wow, Teddy. I’m not sure I’ll ever take it off though.”

“I was considering putting it on you myself with your eyes closed but then that might have looked…inappropriate.”

Eyes finally raising, Billy couldn’t contain another laugh, eyes pouring out his gratitude. “I’m going to put it on right now,” he insisted, and did just that.

It took a bit of manhandling—his excitement and all—to sling it around his hips. Once it secured under his bellybutton, he didn’t think he could look any more dashing, feel any more a-okay. It might has well have been Captain America’s costume he was wearing.

“Weird,” he said after admiring the belt a few more seconds.

Teddy reached out and traced the loop of the belt, satisfied at the overlook. “What’s weird?”

Billy shook his head. “Just seems obvious that I should have known and not gotten weird about everything like I did,” he said, remembering that despite how well Teddy was doing at Billy’s school, the shape-shifter had had his share of bumps along the way too. Everyone did, even the split-faced attendants of the parade.

“You have been studying pretty hard for that math test,” Teddy offered with a grin, chuckling at the groan Billy made.

“Thanks for reminding me about it.” Billy buried his hand in Teddy’s and tugged him along on the hunt for food. “Thanks for being the best boyfriend as well.”

“Pretty sure that’s your title.” Teddy squeezed back.

“Mm-hmm,” Billy rolled his eyes, quieting down for a moment before an absurd thought crossed his mind. “Hey, Teddy?”

“Yeah?”

 “Do you think you could teach me how to play a little basketball?”

Teddy stared at him. “Yeah, of course, but-“

“I know, I know, I always avoid it when you and the others invite me to play a game,” Billy waved him off and straightened. “But, I think I want to try something outside of my box. You know, not mind a little bad hair.”

Both of them wrinkled their noses at the metaphor. “Okay, that came out dumb, but you  _know_  what I mean,” Billy grumbled, nudging his boyfriend when the shape-shifter started laughing deep from his stomach. “Teddy!”

“Yes, yes, alright,” Teddy kept laughing, catching Billy’s wrist so he could yank him that much closer until they walked hip-to-hip. “You are as cute as you are stubborn.”

“You should take that back.” Billy grunted, refusing to squeal in an undignified fashion when Teddy threatened to tickle him. Tried to, anyway. “Not here. I’ll end up smacking someone. You know I flail around. And I don’t have a pillow to retaliate.”

Teddy’s smug look didn’t waver. “Good point. When we get back home then.”

“ _If_  we ever make it home. Do you know how  _awful_ traffic will be once this is over?” Billy asked.

“I don’t think I mind if you’re with me.”

 Billy stuck his tongue out, deciding then that if all bad hair days ended like this, he wouldn’t mind a few more.

**-X-**


End file.
